Last week, a terrorist shot and murdered 2 Israelis and seriously wounded 2 others in a shooting attack next to Givat Assaf, near Ramallah. The terrorist fled the scene and as of Dec. 20, 2018, has not been apprehended.

Responding to these murders, senior Fatah official Abbas Zaki said it was "a great thing." Applying a twisted logic, Zaki indicated that this terrorist shooting was legitimate "blood vengeance" for Palestinians killed by Israel. However, he did not differentiate between deaths of innocent Israelis targeted by terrorists and the deaths of the terrorists who had murdered Israelis and were killed during Israel's attempt to capture them:

"We are proudly following the events in the West Bank. The young Palestinians are avenging a blood vengeance - three Martyrs (Shahids) for three Israelis. This is a great thing."

The "three Martyrs" are the terrorist murderers Ashraf Na'alwa, who murdered two of his Israeli coworkers in Barkan, and Saleh Barghouti who murdered a baby and wounded 7 others near Ofra. They were both killed while resisting arrest. The third "Martyr" is possibly terrorist Majdi Mteir who was killed while committing a stabbing attack. (See notes below.)

The three Israeli victims referred to by Zaki are probably the baby Amiad Yisrael Ish-Ran who died three days after he was born prematurely by emergency c-section after his mother was shot and critically wounded, and the two victims from Givat Assaf.

"In response to the events taking place in the West Bank, the [PA] Presidential Office said in a statement that the atmosphere that has been created by the policy of recurring [Israeli] invasions of the [Palestinian] cities, the incitement against His Honor [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas], and the lack of a prospect of peace is what has led to this unacceptable wave of violence, which we condemn and reject, and the price of which the two sides are paying."

Abbas Zaki said: 'We are proudly following the events in the West Bank. The young Palestinians are avenging a blood vengeance - three Martyrs (Shahids) (refers to terrorist murderers Ashraf Na'alwa and Saleh Barghouti who were killed resisting arrest, and possibly terrorist Majdi Mteir who was killed while committing a stabbing attack; see notes below -Ed.) for three Israelis. (not clear who Zaki is referring to as there have been 5 Israeli murder victims in recent attacks -ED.) This is a great thing.'

In a phone conversation with SHMS News [Agency] he added: 'The Israeli enemy has expropriated our land and murdered our children. We will not raise our hands and surrender.' He also said: 'The Israeli enemy must know that those who knock on the door will hear an answer.'

In response to the Palestinian factions, which are repeatedly calling on the PA to cease the security coordination [with Israel], he said: 'There is no security coordination. The entire country is occupied at the moment; nobody is coordinating in order to slaughter himself.'

He added: 'It seems that the leadership is examining how to deal with the matter. Allah willing, you will soon hear from a senior security official about the cessation of the security coordination.'"

Givat Assaf shooting attack - a terrorist shot and murdered 2 Israelis and seriously wounded 2 others in a shooting attack next to Givat Assaf, near Ramallah, on Dec. 13, 2018. The terrorist fled the scene in a car driven by another terrorist. As of Dec. 20, 2018, they have not been apprehended.

Barkan Industrial Zone Attack - 23-year-old Palestinian terrorist Ashraf Walid Suleiman Na'alwa shot and murdered his 2 Israeli coworkers Kim Levengrond-Yehezkel and Ziv Hajbi in a factory in the Barkan Industrial Zone near Ariel on Oct. 7, 2018. Na'alwa fled the scene, but was located two months later in Nablus and shot and killed in a shootout when the Israeli army and police tried to apprehend him on Dec. 13, 2018. The Izz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas' military wing) claimed responsibility for the attack.Until this attack, the Barkan Industrial Zone had been an example of coexistence with Israelis and Palestinians working together.

Ofra shooting attack - Palestinian terrorists shot and wounded 7 Israelis - a pregnant woman, her husband, another man, and 4 teenagers - in a drive-by shooting attack next to Ofra, north of Jerusalem, on Dec. 9, 2018. The pregnant woman was severely wounded and doctors had to deliver her baby prematurely before operating on her. The baby died three days later. The terrorists fled the scene but were located three days later. One terrorist, Saleh Omar Saleh Barghouti, was shot and killed by the Israeli army during the attempt to apprehend him, while other terrorists were taken into custody. The Izz A-Din Al-Qassam Brigades (Hamas' military wing) claimed responsibility for the attack.

Majdi Mteir - Palestinian terrorist who stabbed 2 Israeli border police officers in the Old City of Jerusalem on Dec. 13, 2018, before being shot and killed by other officers at the scene.

Headline: "The [PA] Presidential Office: The atmosphere that has been created by the policy of invasions and the lack of a prospect of peace has led to the wave of violence"

"In response to the events taking place in the West Bank (apparently referring to fatal terror attacks in Ofra and Givat Assaf and the killing of terrorists involved in the Ofra and Barkan attacks; see notes below -Ed.), the [PA] Presidential Office said in a statement that the atmosphere that has been created by the policy of recurring invasions of the [Palestinian] cities, the incitement against His Honor [PA] President [Mahmoud Abbas], and the lack of a prospect of peace is what has led to this unacceptable wave of violence, which we condemn and reject, and the price of which the two sides are paying.

The Presidential Office emphasized that our constant policy is the rejection of violence, invasions, and settler terror, [and] that it is necessary to stop the incitement and avoid creating an atmosphere that will contribute to tension.

The Presidential Office emphasized that the president's constant position is to end the occupation, establish the independent State of Palestine whose capital is East Jerusalem in the June 4, 1967, borders, and [honor] the decisions of the international institutions and international law - [all of] which will provide everyone with security, stability, and peace."

[WAFA, official PA news agency, Dec. 13, 2018]

Image and text posted on the official Fatah Facebook page
The image shows the scene of the Givat Assaf shooting attack, in which 2 Israelis were murdered and 2 others wounded.

Posted text: "When the occupation army soldiers do as they please on the Palestinian land and sow ruin and destruction in it, and when Israeli soldiers implement a policy of summary executions against the members of our people and execute three young Palestinians in one night (refers to terrorist murderers Ashraf Na'alwa and Saleh Barghouti who were killed resisting arrest, and terrorist Majdi Mteir who was killed while committing a stabbing attack; see notes below -Ed.), Israel must understand that the extent of the Palestinian response will be according to the extent of these attacks. Its leaders must understand that they are unable to defend even their soldiers (refers to Givat Assaf attack in which 2 Israeli soldiers were murdered -Ed.). They have attempted all of the criminal means to force our people to submit and wave a white flag, but all of their attempts have failed. Only one path remains for Israel that will ensure the wellbeing of its soldiers and settlers: full withdrawal by the occupation and its murderous settlers to the June 4, 1967 borders.

"Fatah Movement Revolutionary Council Secretary [and Jericho and Jordan Valley District Governor] Majed Al-Fatiani emphasized that our people continues to adhere to the principle of resistance against and confrontation with the occupiers and settlers. He held the occupation directly responsible for the consequences (apparently refers to Givat Assaf shooting attack, 2 murdered; see note below -Ed.) of the escalation of the murder operations against Palestinian civilians (apparently refers to the killing of terrorists Saleh Barghouti, Ashraf Na'alwa, and Majdi Mteir; see notes below -Ed.) and the settlers' direct threats to kill the symbol of the Palestinian legitimacy, while emphasizing that [PA] President Mahmoud Abbas constitutes a red line.

Al-Fatiani said yesterday [Dec. 13, 2018] in an interview with Radio Mawtini: 'The Martyrs' (Shahids') souls have ascended for the freedom and liberation from the occupation.'

He added: 'The occupation's tyranny, violence, harassment, racism, and injustice are pushing them to confront and resist with bare chests,' and emphasized the Palestinians' love for life, but no less for freedom and honor...

Regarding the settlers' threats and their calls to kill President Mahmoud Abbas... Al-Fatiani held the Israeli government directly responsible for these threats, and explained: 'If not for the political cover from the highest echelons in the settler government, they would not be threatening the president through posters that they have glued to the occupation army's checkpoints. This is direct incitement by the occupation government, exactly like they incited against [late PLO Chairman and PA] President Martyr leader Yasser Arafat before and during the siege on him.'"

[Official PA daily Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Dec. 14, 2018]

Campaign calling to assassinate PA Chairman Abbas - The Derech Haim Movement, led by right-wing Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh, began a campaign calling for the assassination of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in December 2018. Their posters, which have been put up in the West Bank, show Abbas' face as if seen through a rifle sight. On the poster is written in red, with blood dripping from it: "A call to the government: Eliminate those who fund murder!" Under this is written: "The Palestinian Authority and its leader pay 12,000 Israeli shekels a month to murderers of Jews. The time has come to say: One who funds murder = murderer."Under this text are the pictures of the five Fogel family terror victims who were murdered in their home in 2011, and whose imprisoned murderers are receiving salaries from the PA. At the bottom is Derech Haim's logo.